Many financial institutions offer investment services including, for example, retirement-related investment services. The predominant model for marketing and providing investment services caters to the needs of high-net-worth individuals, who are often referred to as wealth management clients. The wealth management model is highly dependent on relationships between individual investors and their advisors. Although this business model works well for high-net-worth investors, it has certain problems that become apparent when applied to investors with less money to invest (e.g., mass-affluent investors). For example, it is difficult for financial institutions to reach out to potential new clients who do not have regular contact with financial advisors, either in their personal or professional lives. Also, the individual nature of the financial planning business makes it difficult for financial institutions to build a brand or reputation for sound financial advice that might draw additional clients.
Some investment service providers have attempted to address these problems with mass-media advertising. For example, some providers now advertise their investment management services on radio, television and billboards. These advertisements, however, are typically general in nature, touting abstract concepts about the strength or history of the provider with little information about the investment services to be provided. The Internet is another marketing medium used by providers of investment services. Internet web pages can give providers the ability to show detailed information about their services to a wide group of potential consumers. Even these tools, however, are designed to draw investors to build relationships with one or more advisors, leaving clients' level of business and level of satisfaction with investment services highly dependent on the resulting relationship or relationships.